Commercial investment analysis

Abstract

A technique for performing commercial venture analysis involves establishing an empirically-derived structure and evaluating companies using analytical techniques within that structure. The technique may involve defining jobs, or goals a customer is attempting to reach, with dozens or even hundreds of outcomes. Ideally, the structure and tools facilitate analysis that would not be possible otherwise. Moreover, the nature of the system enables real-time input for changing conditions and the ability to calculate returns for new markets in which products or services do not exist.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 processor means and memory means; 
 means for identifying a market to target for an investment decision; 
 means for identifying unmet customer needs based on jobs and outcomes; 
 means for scoring competitive product or service offerings against the jobs and outcomes; 
 means for scoring a solution based on the jobs and outcomes and the solution's ability to increase satisfaction; 
 means for identifying willingness of a customer to pay to have a job completed with maximum satisfaction; 
 means for calculating fixed and variable costs for the solution; 
 means for determining if the solution can be delivered to create an investment rate of return (IRR) that meets an IRR threshold. 
 
     
     
       2. A method comprising:
 identifying, by a computer processor, a market to target for an investment decision; 
 identifying unmet customer needs based on jobs and outcomes; 
 scoring competitive product or service offerings against the jobs and outcomes; 
 scoring a solution based on the jobs and outcomes and the solution's ability to increase satisfaction; 
 identifying willingness of a customer to pay to have a job completed with maximum satisfaction; 
 calculating fixed and variable costs for the solution; 
 determining if the solution can be delivered to create an investment rate of return (IRR) that meets an IRR threshold. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the market is defined as a demographic for the investment decision. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the market is further defined as at least one job the demographic is trying to accomplish. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2  wherein each of the jobs and outcomes is rated for its importance and satisfaction level by the customer. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein the each of the jobs and outcomes is rated using an opportunity score algorithm, thereby providing an opportunity score for the each of the jobs and outcomes. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the opportunity score algorithm is configured to identify an underserved “niche” job in an appropriately served or overserved market. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6  wherein the opportunity score algorithm comprises determining an opportunity score of the each of the jobs and outcomes based on:
 an importance of the each of the jobs and outcomes, added to a maximum of:
 a difference of the importance and a satisfaction, and a null value. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6  further comprising determining, if the opportunity score does not meet an opportunity score threshold, whether there is a customer segment that views the each of the jobs and outcomes as being underserved. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6  wherein scoring the solution comprises determining a value add of the solution based on a weighted average of the opportunity score. 
     
     
       11. A system comprising:
 a processor and a memory; 
 a datastore; 
 a market selection engine; 
 a customer data capture engine coupled to the market selection engine; 
 a platform innovation engine coupled to the customer data capture engine; 
 a business model selection engine coupled to the platform innovation engine; 
 an investment engine coupled to the business model selection engine; 
 wherein, in operation:
 the market selection engine is configured to identify a market to target for an investment decision; 
 the customer data capture engine is configured to identify unmet customer needs based on jobs and outcomes; 
 the platform innovation engine is configured to score competitive product or service offerings against the jobs and outcomes; 
 the business model selection engine is configured to:
 score a solution based on the jobs and outcomes and the solution's ability to increase satisfaction, 
 identify willingness of a customer to pay to have a job completed with maximum satisfaction, 
 calculate fixed and variable costs for the solution; 
 
 the investment engine is configured to determine if the solution can be delivered to create an investment rate of return (IRR) that meets an IRR threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11  wherein the market is defined as a demographic for the investment decision. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12  wherein the market is further defined as at least one job the demographic is trying to accomplish. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11  wherein each of the jobs and outcomes is rated for its importance and satisfaction level by the customer. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14  wherein the business model selection engine is configured to rate the each of the jobs and outcomes using an opportunity score algorithm, thereby providing an opportunity score for the each of the jobs and outcomes. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15  wherein the opportunity score algorithm is configured to identify an underserved “niche” job in an appropriately served or overserved market. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15  wherein the opportunity score algorithm comprises determining an opportunity score of the each of the jobs and outcomes based on:
 an importance of the each of the jobs and outcomes, added to a maximum of:
 a difference of the importance and a satisfaction, and a null value. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15  wherein the business model selection engine is configured to determine, if the opportunity score does not meet an opportunity score threshold, whether there is a customer segment that views the each of the jobs and outcomes as being underserved. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15  wherein the business model selection engine is configured to determine a value add of the solution based on a weighted average of the opportunity score. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15  wherein the datastore comprises one or more of a jobs and outcomes datastore configured to store the jobs and outcomes; a target markets datastore configured to store the target market; a platform templates datastore configured to store a platform template; and a recommended business models datastore configured to store a business model.